The Kingdom of Great Britain originated from the 1603 personal union between England (including Wales), Scotland and Ireland under King James I. More than a century later in 1707, the Scottish and English crowns were merged to form a single kingdom with a single parliament and government, from which Ireland was nevertheless excluded until 1801. Throughout the eighteenth century, the British kingdom rose to the status of an undisputed world power and ultimately came to control the largest empire in history.

The British flag, often called ‘Union Flag’, ‘Union Jack’ or ‘King’s Colours’ combined the English and Scottish flags, superimposing England’s red Cross of Saint George on the Scottish Saltire of Saint Andrew. It was first used in the days of James I and was adopted as the British national flag following the Acts of Union (1707). The design was modified in 1801, when Ireland joined the United Kingdom and the Irish Saint Patrick’s cross was added, thus creating the present-day Union Flag.